Officials look to bring travelers, jobs to Maryland

New statewide attractions to hopefully boost economy

Local officials are hoping residents and tourists pump some extra cash into the economy as summer vacations near, and from the White House to Baltimore City Hall, there's a new push to create jobs and spur economic growth.

The White House on Thursday announced a plan to boost travel to and within the United States as part of the president's focus on job creation across America.

International travelers are a focus of the strategy. Officials said they want to increase the numbers from an anticipated 50 million this year to 100 million by 2021. They said visitors would spend around $250 billion while they're here.

"Which will translate into millions of jobs in America, and those are jobs that cannot be exported," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

It's a blueprint that's being welcomed by Maryland travel officials.

"We are really going to start seeing more visitors, which we desperately need, because they stay and they leave their money behind, and we love it," said Maryland Office of Tourism Executive Director Margo Amelia.

Tourism is a big economic engine helping to drive Maryland's economy. Domestic visitor spending alone adds up to $13.9 billion annually, fueling 130,000 jobs, according to state statistics. In 2012, Maryland is poised to become an even more attractive destination.

"We're very excited about Sailabration, which starts June 13," Amelia said. "And then, of course, I believe we just had an announcement today about the Grand Prix coming back. That's wonderful."

With the evolving Harborplace that's set to open the new Ripley's Believe It Or Not and the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which opened Thursday, city officials said they're excited, too.

"It represents jobs for Baltimore and an enhancement of our tourism industry," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

The waterfront's newest tenant is expected to draw visitors and bring up to 300 new jobs to the Inner Harbor.